Semi-finalists France send England home

Toby Flood looks forlorn as French players frolic after making the last four of the rugby World Cup [GALLO/GETTY]

The first two quarter-finals of the rugby World Cup produced unexpected results with England and Ireland both sent packing from the tournament on Saturday.

In the first quarter-final, the youth of Wales triumphed over an ageing Irish team with a 22-10 win in Wellington.  

France will line-up against Wales in the rugby World Cup semi-finals after holding off England in a 19-12 victory following a 16-point opening barrage through tries to fullback Maxime Medard and winger Vincent Clerc.

It was a great victory for Les Bleus who were knocked out of the World Cup semi-finals by England in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.

The win came despite a shambolic pool stage in which coach Marc Lievremont fought openly with his players and the media and the team lost to Tonga.

But against England, France reappeared as a different side.

Two penalties by Dimitri Yachvili helped France to a 16-0 half-time lead and a second-half dropped goal by Francois Trinh-Duc sealed the quarter-final in front of a crowd of 49,105.

“We didn’t want to go out like this, we wanted to show our true value,” France captain Thierry Dusautoir said of the pre-match turmoil.

“We didn’t want to go out like this, we wanted to show our true value” France captain Thierry Dusautoir

“We wanted to show how we can play rugby. I think we did it tonight. We need to keep it up.

“We’re going to enjoy this victory here.”

England scored second-half tries through fullback Ben Foden and winger Mark Cueto but were never in the match, with only center Manu Tuilagi emerging with any credit.

Jonny Wilkinson entered the match only six points behind All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter’s all-time record of 1,250. He cut that gap to four before being replaced in the second half, but on this performance he may not receive another chance to close in even further.

The 2003 World Cup-winning star had a match to forget, with passes missing their target, poor options chosen, while even his famed defensive capabilities were below par – being largely at fault for Clerc’s try after missing the winger in a one-on-one tackle in the front line.

Apart from a couple of bullocking runs by Tuilagi and a growing scrummaging edge, England were thoroughly outplayed in the opening half by a French team adept at retaining possession and at making slick passes stick in traffic.

Dismal start

England gave away early penalties, made simple handling errors, lost lineout throws and looked stilted when the ball was spread wide.

Two moments encapsulated the inadequacy just before half-time. On the back of a neat offload from Wilkinson and a charge by Nick Easter, England were close to the line when Ben Youngs’ pass on the short side hit the back of Cueto’s elbow as he was retreating onside.

Then, with time up and the line open, Wilkinson’s desperate pass was too high and the ball went through Chris Ashton’s hands to ruin a certain try.

By contrast, the performance by France wasn’t perfect but positively sublime compared with the dismal form displayed in the losses to New Zealand and Tonga in the pool stage.

The influential Morgan Parra was pivotal in Clerc’s try, executing a runaround down the short side to find the straight-running winger, who brushed past by Wilkinson and was too quick for the challenge of Tom Croft before spinning through the tackle of Foden to touch down.

What time is it? It is time for Martin Johnson and the England team to head home [GALLO/GETTY]

On top of two earlier penalties by Yachvili, France led 11-0 in the 22nd minute and that advantage was extended further in the 30th.

Dusautoir drove the ball close from a lineout, possession was recycled twice before Parra’s long pass found Alexis Palisson near the corner post and he evaded two defenders and slung a one-armed pass inside for Medard to score for a 16-0 halftime lead.

England needed to make changes for the second half, bringing on Courtney Lawes to play blindside flanker, lock Simon Shaw and loosehead prop Alex Corbisiero soon after their resumption for Croft, Louis Deacon and Matt Stevens.
 
The changes had an effect, Youngs taking a quick tap to catch the defense unawares and finding a charging Shaw up the middle. After the ball was recycled, Foden sold Imanol Harinordoquy a dummy and swerved inside Medard to narrow the gap to 16-7 in the 55th minute.

On the back of several penalties, England increased their tempo and started to stretch France halfway through the second period with Wilkinson and Flood alternating as first receiver.

Wilkinson and Youngs were replaced in the 65th by Richard Wigglesworth and Matt Banahan, drawing an end to Wilkinson’s World Cup career and capping his record points total at rugby’s showpiece event to 277 in 19 matches.

France dominated the final quarter of the match, setting up camp inside England’s quarter for Trinh-Duc to pot his field goal.

England wouldn’t give up, Cueto crossing the try line in the 77th despite Clerc’s best attempts to stop him but it was too little, too late.

“We’re just thoroughly disappointed,” England captain Lewis Moody said.

“For the first 40 minutes, France came out and took their opportunities. A couple of lapses in defense cost us massively.

“We weren’t good enough today. Thorougly disappointed – the whole squad. It’s going to be a hard one to swallow.”

In Sunday’s quarter-finals, South Africa face Australia while New Zealand will hope to impress the home crowd against Argentina.